1. Techinical Field
The present invention relates generally to tools and more particularly to barbecue tools having removably attachable interchangeable implements.
2. Background of the Invention
Tools date back thousands of years, as man has sought to devise means for improving his existence, perform tasks, in certain instances otherwise not possible, and increase the efficiency of performing those tasks. Hand tools are often of unitary construction, and as technology has advanced, such tools have features not available heretofore, often making the tools expensive, and difficult to use in similar but different operations.
There is a need for a simple, effective, lightweight, durable, combination tool having removably attachable interchangeable implements, which requires minimal assembly. One of the most basic needs for such a combination tool is a tool which may be used with at least one removably attachable interchangeable implement to facilitate cooking and/or barbecuing. The functionality of the tool, however, should extend and be adaptable to all types of tools for different uses and purposes. The combination tool should be inexpensive, attractive, quick, and easy to install and remove implements therefrom, the implements being removably attachable therefrom and interchangeable one with the other, and the combination tool being compactly storable.
The combination tool should have positive locking means, which releasably locks the removably attachable interchangeable implements thereinto a handle. The handle should be capable of illuminating an area or work surface, and in the case of the combination tool directed to facilitating cooking or barbecuing, the handle should be capable of illuminating the food being cooked and/or barbecued. The handle should have a timer capable of being set to at least one time duration, and audibly alerting a user at the end of a selected one of such time durations, for example, as to how long the food has been cooked or barbecued. The handle should have a non slip, easy to grip surface, adapted to facilitate use during greasy and slippery conditions. The combination tool should be inexpensive, the handle being the most technologically complex and most expensive component of the combination tool, making it functionally advantageous and cost effective to have a plurality of removably attachable interchangeable implements adapted for use individually and one at a time with the handle.
Different tools, utensils, and cutlery have heretofore been known. However, none of the tools, cutlery or utensils adequately satisfies these aforementioned needs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,207,673 (DiGirolamo et al) discloses an implement for assisting a user in modifying the user""s eating habits, comprising an instrument such as a fork, knife, or spoon detachably attached to a hollow handle. The handle has a top side having window openings, which have diodes of two different colors visible at the window openings, and circuitry, including a battery and an on/off switch, for causing the diodes to be alternately turned on and off at predetermined intervals.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,089 (Dubus et al) discloses a fork with timer. The fork has a head and a plurality of spaced tines extended from the head, a handle extended from the head remote from the tines; timer circuitry connected to the handle adapted to provide a cue after an elapsed period of time, which may be used to indicate to a user that another bite of food may be taken using the fork; a replaceable power source connected to the fork coupled to the timer circuitry, the power source adapted to energize the timer circuitry; and a switch connected to the fork, the switch coupled between the power source and the timer circuitry, for energizing and de-energizing the timer circuitry.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,075,970 (Albert) discloses a utensil, which incorporates speech synthesis microelectronics. A switch on the exterior of the utensil handle actuates circuitry inside the utensil handle, including a speech synthesizer semiconductor chip and an amplifier semiconductor chip. Emulated speech generated by the speech synthesizer semiconductor chip is processed by the amplifier semiconductor chip and emitted from a loudspeaker in the utensil.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,793 (Ratzon et al) discloses a cutlery piece having a food holding portion, a handle, and an electronic device capable of generating light or sound. The electronic device has a light sensor in the food holding portion, which upon receipt of an electric input from the light sensor, after a period of darkness, the electronic device generates a transient light or sound signal.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,914,819 (Ash) discloses a dietary control eating utensil for indicating when food may be eaten therewith. The utensil has a handle having an elongated transparent material chamber for containing immiscible fluids having different densities, such as air and mineral oil. The lighter density fluid forms a bubble within the chamber, which may be used as a visible signal to a user to indicate when to consume food with the utensil.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a simple, effective, lightweight, durable, combination tool having removably attachable interchangeable implements, which requires minimal assembly. The combination tool should be capable of being used with at least one removably attachable implement to facilitate cooking and/or barbecuing. The functionality of the tool, however, should extend and be adaptable to all types of tools for different uses and purposes. The combination tool should be inexpensive, attractive, quick, and easy to install and remove implements therefrom, the implements being removably attachable therefrom and interchangeable one with the other, the combination tool being compactly storable, and having positive locking means, which releasably locks the removably attachable interchangeable implements thereinto a handle. Optionally, the handle can be capable of illuminating an area or work surface, and in the case of the combination tool directed to facilitating cooking or barbecuing, the handle can be capable of illuminating the food being cooked and/or barbecued. The handle can have a timer capable of being set to at least one time duration, and audibly alerting a user at the end of a selected one of such time durations, for example, as to how long the food has been cooked or barbecued. The handle preferably has a non slip, easy to grip surface, adapted to facilitate use during greasy and slippery conditions. The combination tool should be inexpensive, the handle being the most technologically complex and most expensive component of the combination tool, making it functionally advantageous and cost effective to have a plurality of removably attachable interchangeable implements adapted for use individually and one at a time with the handle.
The present invention is directed to a simple, effective, lightweight, durable, combination tool having removably attachable interchangeable implements, which requires minimal assembly. The combination tool is capable of being used with at least one removably attachable implement to facilitate cooking and/or barbecuing. The functionality of the tool is extendable and adaptable to all types of tools for different uses and purposes. The combination tool is inexpensive, attractive, quick, and easy to install and remove implements therefrom, the implements being removably attachable therefrom and interchangeable one with the other, the combination tool being compactly storable, and having positive locking means, which releasably locks the removably attachable interchangeable implements thereinto a handle. The handle is capable of illuminating an area or work surface, and in the case of the combination tool directed to facilitating cooking or barbecuing, the handle is capable of illuminating the food being cooked and/or barbecued. The handle has a timer capable of being set to at least one time duration, and audibly alerting a user at the end of a selected one of such time durations, for example, as to how long the food has been cooked or barbecued. The handle has a non slip, easy to grip surface, adapted to facilitate use during greasy and slippery conditions.
A combination tool having features of the present invention comprises: a handle, and at least one removably attachable implement adapted for use with the handle, the handle having an implement receiving portion and a spring loaded detent adapted to releasably lock the removably attachable implement thereinto the implement receiving portion of the handle.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where: